Billy Ray Parmer, retired pastor, former BGCT convention officer, former TBC co-chair, current director of GAP (Gloria al Padre) ministries, was killed in an automobile accident on Saturday morning, Feb. 28. Because we have so many strong TBC supporters who go on to be with the Lord, I seldom mention one specifically, but please indulge me a moment in regards to Billy Ray.

Billy Ray Parmer was a tremendous gift to everyone who knew him and had the privilege of working with him. He was a gift to his family, to the churches he served as pastor, to the BGCT -- serving as second vice-president during a tumultuous time, to TBC -- serving as our co-chair and providing great encouragement to me personally, and in his last years, to thousands of Mexican citizens as he gave his life serving in Mexico.

The Parmer family granted me a very special honor in allowing me to speak at one of Billy Ray's memorial services. When I began to reflect on Billy Ray's life, several very special things came to mind that we should all strive to have said about us.

Billy Ray focused on Jesus. The text I used for his memorial service was the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9). I picked this text for two reasons. First, Billy Ray was a farmer at heart. He loved agriculture, always kidding me about being a goat farmer. He loved the outdoors. He valued the land and all that was associated with it.

Second, I picked this text because it talks about seed that fell on good soil and produced a crop-a hundredfold what was sown. That was Billy Ray. Billy Ray spent his life sowing seeds for Jesus, partnering with the living Christ any way he could. He served not only as pastor, but also as fireman, chaplain, and missionary to Mexico.

Billy Ray was "all heart," full of love and grace. He stood by his friends, through thick and thin. He was a great encourager of other pastors. He loved his family and raised five remarkable children. He loved all that it meant to be a real Baptist.

Most of all, Billy Ray was totally authentic. You could count on him to do what was right, regardless of the cost to him personally. Billy Ray might have been small in stature, but he was never short on courage or commitment. I have come to believe that a key characteristic of true Christianity is authenticity. Billy Ray could not stomach Fundamentalism because he knew it was basically fake faith. He sought to live an authentic faith in Christ rather than merely espousing popular talk about Christ.

Still, Billy Ray did have a special way of speaking truth that those of us who knew him will never forget. At the 1998 TBC breakfast in Houston, Billy Ray gave some special gifts to three women: Loretta Currie, Eula Mae Baugh and Joy Reynolds. He hand-made stained glass angels for each of these ladies, because as he put it, "they must be angels" to live with Mr. Baugh, Dr. Reynolds and me. We loved it.

Then Billy Ray made a memorable speech we should never forget. In only Billy Ray style, he said the biggest problem we have today is too many MONKEY BAPTISTS!!! He defined Monkey Baptists as those who live with their hands over their eyes and ears to "see no evil and hear no evil." He was making an important point: it is hard to effectively partner with Christ unless one understands reality. To honor Billy Ray, each of us must open our eyes and ears to the truth. Then, we must proclaim that truth.

I thank God for the gift of Billy Ray Parmer, his heart and courage, and especially his friendship.

Go rest high on that mountain, my friend.

April 2004